Heads up on bellhousing alignment

[68Zproject]

Just thought I'd give a shout out to Jerry for his bellhousing alignment article.  This is something I knew nothing about as I was getting my engine back in my car.  I had some vibration going over 60 that I found out was my driveline.  I got it balanced and everything was OK.  After the engine had some miles on it, I decided to wind it out a bit and found a horrible vibration coming through the shifter at 5k plus.  I didn't go any higher as I felt something would break.  Then I came upon the article written by Jerry and thought that must be my problem.  I was going to wait til winter to fix it, but the other day on a drive I heard some scraping metal sound coming from the car.  I got it home and figured I'd at least take off the inspection cover.  I found a chunk of metal and figured it had to be the front bearing retainer.  After I took out the tranny and clutch, this is what I found.



When I checked the bellhousing, it was out 20 thousandths.  I hope this set up looks like it I did it right.



 I think I got lucky as nothing else seems to have been damaged.  Anything else I should look for?

[1968RSZ28]

Here's the report for reference...  http://www.camaros.org/bellhousings.shtml

Paul

[stovebolt]

68ZPROJECT, you mentioned drive line vibration over 60 and that you solved the problem. What was the exact source of the vibration and how was it corrected?
I have the exact same thing. Thanks, Joe.

[william1]

this is great info ,, i to have a vibration at or around 5000 rpm, i have been over everything ,,, twice, next time it comes apart which might be soon then latter now, i'm gonna give this a good look....

[68Zproject]

My driveline problem was the balance.  There was a different transmission in the car and when I changed the yoke for the Muncie, it put it out of balance.  This was only at speed 55 or over.  I took it to a driveline shop and the rebalanced it. The vibration that broke the tranny was at RPM.  I couldn't go over 4500 in any gear.  I'm hoping to have it back in this week end and I'll let you know if this did it.

[68Zproject]

Well, I got it back together and the high RPM vibration is better, but it didn't go away.  It sounds like something in the tranny is binding or out of balance.  I've never had a car do something like this.

[melav8r]

Sorry to hear about your vibration problem, I just had my tranny rebuilt with new WR M22 gears and before I install it with a new clutch, p.p. and t.o. bearing, I am going to check the bellhousing alignment.

I've just ordered the Browell tool and not sure which dowels to go with if I find the bellhousing alignment is out of tolerance. I was reading the Moroso and Lakewood websites and, contrary to what Jerry wrote in the CRG report about "Once you have correct alignment, apply either red or green Loctite to the dowel pins...",

Moroso doesn't mention using loctite but rather says to drill the block for set screws:
http://www.moroso.com/catalog/categorydisplay.asp?CatCode=23004&pt=37938

Lakewood's instructions don't mention Loctite either when using the EZ Adjustable dowel pins and say to "turn setscrew to tighten (which runs down the center of the pin) and positively locks the dowel in position".:
http://www.lakewoodindustries.com/pdf/74437G.pdf

With the engine in the car, seems the Lakewood EZ Adjustables are the simpler install and probably prudent to use Loctite.
thanks, Mel

[bsfs]

Thanks CRG and all it's contributors.

I really enjoyed the article written by Jerry M. regarding the proper alignment process for the bellhousing. How many of us have been doing it the incorrect way, scary to think.

Thanks once again CRG!!

[Paul68RS/Z28]

Well, I got it back together and the high RPM vibration is better, but it didn't go away.  It sounds like something in the tranny is binding or out of balance.  I've never had a car do something like this.

Paul, How was your pilot bearing?

[68Zproject]

I replaced it and nothing changed.  Then one day I changed the setup on my distributor and the vibration went away. I'm sure whatever I changed didn't stop the vibration, it  just  happened at the same time for some reason and  just quit.

[TODD]

Have you checked your rear axle pinion angle? It needs to be the same angle as the engine and tranny.
 

[Mike S]

 A vibration problem I had in my 67 rag top turned to be a bent drive shaft. Once I put in a new one the vibration was completely gone.
Something to consider.

Mike

[68Zproject]

Have you checked your rear axle pinion angle? It needs to be the same angle as the engine and tranny.
 

That would be speed dependent and not RPM dependent.  My problem was Rpm dependent.

[cook_dw]

Have you checked your rear axle pinion angle? It needs to be the same angle as the engine and tranny.
 

I have always set my pinion angle at a -2 degrees with full suspension load.  This is to compensate for the rapping of the different underload. 


A problem I had back several years ago on my 69 when I installed a new clutch and had the flywheel resurfaced.  Once installed I had a vibration in the shifter above 3k and got worse the higher the rpm to the point it would shake the whole car.  Swapped out for another clutch and same thing.  Pulled it out again and swapped flywheels and vibration gone.  Moral of the story is make sure the flywheel & clutch assembly is balanced.

[cook_dw]

Different was suppose to be just diff.   Dang Iphone autocorrect..